Summer Is Here As We Go 'Wild' At West Dean

I'm going to start with an invitation, well more of plea really
to come along to West Dean soon to admire the wild flowers in the
gardens and arboretum - it really is a delightful show and like all
good things will come to an end soon. Although managing wildflower
meadows can be a challenge, the rewards are enormously colourful
and bountiful and along with spring bird song just makes you feel
alive.

Bloomin' Lovely!
Colour is about to spring forth from the all the mixed borders - in
front of the college and pergola and within the walls of the walled
garden too. These borders are designed to let rip from June onwards
reaching their united flower power in summer through to autumn.
Recent gapping up with tender perennials by Anne the border queen,
ensures that soon, hardly any soil will be seen.

Magic Beans
Shaun the kitchen gardener has been whizzing around the kitchen garden erecting support structures for
peas and beans - even asparagus fern is supported with posts and
string. Newly planted cucurbits are protected from wind and rain by
barn cloches which act as mini glasshouses and these plants like us
are waiting for summer weather… well it is June after all! Recent
squalls have shown just how vulnerable vegetable plants can be, so
good support and protection is a must.

Throwing Some Shapes
William and Stuart, the two woodies, are continuing with the summer
pruning of our topiarised shapes throughout the gardens to keep
them well defined. These topiarised lumps and bumps contrast
happily with the abundant froth of the long wild flower sward and
act as a unifying feature along the length of our long thin garden.
It's interesting to note that the shapes outside the front door of
the college have been growing there for over 100 years so there is
a precedent for growing plants in this way at West Dean.

Weed Do You Think You're Going?!
Jack the border patrol man and his merry team of volunteers have
been wreaking havoc on weeds throughout the garden and thank
goodness they have been because with recent rain, it's a constant
battle to keep the weed growth under control at this time of year.
Much of the recent herbaceous planting is thriving and looking
quite luxurious as is the recently replanted sunken garden - so
make sure you walk around all of it to enjoy Jack's handy work as
well as the plantings.

Rainbow Row
After a six month hiatus summer bedding has returned to the beds
west of the College. This year the display is made up of an
unsubtle colour combination of reds, golds, browns and white
through rudbeckias, begonias, salvias and dahlias - so in the
summer bring your sunglasses you'll need them to cope with the
dazzle!

No Time To Chill…i
Under glass the chillies, aubergines and tomatoes are in their
summer residence. We now move from the production phase of the year
where we sow and grow-on plants, to one of maintenance, where we
look after what we've sown earlier in the year. The 1st of June
acts as the turn-around date when all glasshouse displays should be
in place for us to manage and maintain. In terms of management this
involves using biological control agents to control pests, feeding,
thinning, dead-heading and tying in various crops on a regular
basis. No resting on laurels at West Dean
Gardens this Summer!